


Castle Town

by HexingQueen



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:42:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24797122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HexingQueen/pseuds/HexingQueen
Summary: "”...Maybe you should wear a hood.”The problem, you see - in Link’s eyes - is the beauty and aura that hits you smack in the face the second you look at her. It’s unearthly."He often wonders why his heart speeds up so much when she smiles.
Relationships: Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 115





	Castle Town

“...Can you tell?”

_Definitely._

He doesn’t exactly want to lie through his teeth, but he doesn’t want to upset her, either.

To be honest, when she had first suggested donning ‘regular’ clothes to go into town, he had thought she was joking. Apparently, however, she was deathly serious. She had done a good job, he’d give her that - the usual layers of silk and gold had been swapped for a simple blue cloth dress of Ilia’s. Ornaments gone from her hair, which was now pulled back into a simple ponytail, Zelda theoretically looked like any other Hylian, especially in the setting of his small house in Ordon. There is just one problem - at least, to him.

“Well… Not at first glance.” He replies, “but maybe you should wear a hood.”

The problem, you see - in Link’s eyes - is the beauty and aura that hits you smack in the face the second you look at her. It’s unearthly. Even if people don’t realise it’s the Princess, they will, he thinks, assume she is someone of nobility anyway.

Or maybe a fairy. Or a goddess.

Well - maybe not the last two, but something like that - and he’d seen the Great Fairy with his own eyes.

“I don’t have any makeup on, nor do I have any jewels or ornaments in my hair or ears,” She protests, raising an eyebrow, “unless you know my face well anyway, I hardly think you can tell… is it really that obvious?”

_Yes._

“No, I’m sorry.” He replies, “Do you want to go?”

“If you are ready, then I am as well.” She nods, a pretty pathetic attempt to hide the excitement in her voice, a slight giddy undertone to her usually seamlessly royal voice, “I do not plan on bringing anything with me.”

It had surprised Link when Zelda first started making trips to Ordon how light she travelled. He didn’t really know what he had expected - it’s not like he was expecting the crown and sceptre - but… still. She brought a few dresses at most, a hairbrush, some soap - and even that list dwindled down once the residents of the village made it clear they were more than willing to share.

His first impression, he had come to the conclusion, was decidedly wrong. In his defence, their first few meetings had been the girl in full regalia either talking about the Gods or… well, literally calling upon the Gods, and then receiving arrows made of pure light energy from them, so it’s not like he could’ve guessed what she was like outside of, one, beautiful, and, two… _royal_.

One thing he had noticed, looking back, was that she wore boots not too dissimilar to his under all the silk and jewels.

It’s not like he was focused on her footwear of all things when her body had been possessed, but it was something he picked up on, purposefully or not. And then there was the matter of her somehow having enough fire in her to ride Epona bareback while firing the Gods’ own weapons at the incarnation of evil, so… maybe he shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions about her.

Heroic deeds and her manner of speaking aside, Zelda was so down to earth and such genuinely enjoyable company he found it odd she had essentially been raised by a government of old men. She had her moments - her outward emotional depth in some cases and her understanding of how everyday things worked could be severely lacking, often to Link’s amusement - such a different world she lived, where performing a holy ceremony was easier than stroking a goat.

“...Are we going?”

Her speaking brings him back to the present - as it often does, when he zones out - and he apologises again, picking the small bag of food off the table and opening the door for her. She kept the boots, he notices. And was her hair always that… shiny? Maybe she washed it… although the way it’s pulled back today highlights the blonder streaks through her otherwise dark brown strands.

...He really needs to stop doing this.

He can’t help it, though - every time he’s around her, it’s like he internally panics and either ends up completely out of it thinking about whether her eyes look more like the sky or the lake, or he rambles on about something he’s sure she’s very, very uninterested in. It’s been like this for a while, but he doesn’t like to think on it too much.

Anyway. Hair aside.

“Is there anything you want to do before we leave?” He tilts his head, “you probably won’t be back for a while.”

“No, but thank you - I said goodbye to everybody while you were asleep this morning.”

“Oh, I- you could’ve woken me up.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t have even if I wanted to,” she laughs softly, shaking her head, “you rarely look so peaceful.”

He’s sort of a weird mix of embarrassed and flattered that she even paid attention. It’s not like he had a habit of watching her sleep, but sometimes if she fell asleep before him, it was hard not to notice how - well, how cute it was. Not that he wanted to call the princess of Hyrule cute, but… there was just something about the way her lips parted when she slept - or maybe it was that one strand of hair at the front that always curled - that _was_ cute.

It’s his turn to be on the receiving end now, though, and he can feel the slight blush on his face as he strokes Epona’s mane.

He wonders if she notices, at all.

“As long as you’re all done, Zeldie,” He shrugs, forcing his embarrassment down as he flashes her a grin, “we can go.”

“Is there not anything you want to do first?” She questions in return, “You usually stay in Castle Town for a while when we head up there - I really do not mind at all if you have some errands to run whilst you are still at home.”

Well, maybe there are a few things - or a lot of things - he needs to get done, but he doesn’t want to stall her - he can tell how excited she is to have so much free time, for once, and it isn’t often they can go to Castle Town of all places just to have fun.

So, no, he tells her, it’s okay. He has nothing.

Besides, he’s sure she’ll be busy again in a few days, so he doesn’t want to waste the opportunity.

The hero isn’t exactly sure when his entire life’s timetable revolved around ‘Zelda’ and ‘Zelda is busy’, but if there was a chance to spend time with her, he wasn’t exactly going to pass it up.

“I still can’t believe you managed to convince those old guys to give you three days in a row away from the castle,” He says, lifting himself up onto Epona and offering her a hand to pull her up behind him, “considering how moody they are about it normally.”

“In fairness, I may have made up a religious-relative reason,” She admits, brushing over the ‘old guys’ nickname, “Or it could just be my incredible powers of persuasion.”

“Can’t be. You’ve yet to persuade me of anything.”

“I persuaded you to take me out today,” The princess retorts, slipping her arms around his waist - as she always does, when on horseback, although his heart decides to speed up all the same.

Something he very much ignores.

“So you did.” He sighs.

Frankly, she could have the persuasion skills of a dead rat in the castle sewers and he would still take her anywhere.

Although this realisation is becoming one of increasing concern in his life, he tries to shove aside the thoughts as he takes the reins in his hands, easing Epona into a steady trot towards the woods. It does take a noticeable while longer travelling with Zelda as opposed to alone; but though he’s sure she could handle more speed just fine (in fact, he’s seen her do it before under far more pressing circumstances), he’s just… more comfortable travelling _safely_ with her.

So. A steady pace it is. He’s sure Epona is grateful for the ease, too.

“It is so nice to be out of all that silk,” She mumbles absent-mindedly, pressing her face against the nape of his neck, “it has been such a very long time…”

“Yeah…” He replies, his voice coming out far quieter than intended, almost at a whisper - he just feels… bad for her. Pretty much every assumption anyone could ever have about the girl was flat out wrong.

Thin rays of sunlight find their way through the treetops of Faron woods, the sky above them a gentle, powder shade of blue - how different the world seemed not all that long ago. And had he truly been the one to save it? Technically, although he didn’t like to think of it like that. In no way could he have done it alone - it just so happened that he wielded the sword.

In a way, he truly believed Zelda had saved this world more than he. Yes, he fought, but she had sacrificed and given so much just for him to be able to do that. He wouldn’t have even gotten the master sword had it not been for her, made possible by the most selfless action she could have taken. He knows she doesn’t like to talk about those times - if only because she still blamed herself for the beginning of it all - but he wishes she could see how much she saved her kingdom, sometimes. Not just during, but after, as well - she dedicated so much of her time and energy to helping everyone except herself even _he_ felt exhausted just hearing about it.

He can’t see her right now, but he can at least feel her breath on his neck and her arms around his waist, which is enough to bring him some sort of happiness. It is so nice seeing her outside of the castle - the only times she ever truly smiles around him are when they are far, far away from it all. And, on a more selfish note, they were the only times she showed him any sizeable amount of genuine… affection? Maybe that wasn’t the right word.

Well. He supposes it is the right word, really, although he thinks she wouldn’t use the same. Nevertheless, the fact remains - through no fault of her own - she is absolutely unable to show any noticeable amount of emotion towards him when surrounded by people. Really, he finds it so weird. Is it so bad for the Princess to have a… _friend?_

Technically, at least, that’s the right term.

He wonders why that brings him such dismay.

Sunlight bounces off the surface of Faron spring as they reach it, the both of them silent alongside the soft sound of the breeze through the treetops.

He loosens his hands on the reins, leaning forwards to press his face against his horse’s mane as she trots forwards of her own accord to take a drink from the water.

Is friend really the right word? Feeling almost guilty for even having such a thought, the boy doesn’t dare turn around to look at Zelda behind him, although it continues playing on his mind. He’s pretty sure she would refer to him as a friend, but his only other good friend in the world he has ever had - who is also a girl and… well, _human_ , - is Ilia. Ilia didn’t sleep in his bed, and neither did Ilia accompany him to any and every stretch of the land - nor did she stare at him when he wasn’t looking or curl his hair round her fingers when she thought he was asleep.

In fairness to Ilia, he had never really pretended to be asleep around her before like he had with Zelda (...maybe just so she would do as aforementioned), so perhaps that one wasn’t a fair comparison. And what about him? His heart didn’t speed up when he looked at the Mayor’s daughter, unless, on the not-so-rare occasion, she was telling him off again. (In which case, it didn’t feel nearly the same, anyway.) No, his heart rate stayed constant.

He also isn’t really even sure what colour her hair or eyes are. Fundamentally, yes, green eyes, blonde hair.

...blonde-ish.

But that’s all he can think of. Green. Just green. Not that he doesn’t think Ilia isn’t pretty - of course he does - but thinking about her just isn’t the same as Zelda. Yes, Ilia’s eyes are green, and Zelda’s are blue, but they’re also azure, sapphire, the colour of the jewels in her crown, the colour of lake Hylia at sunset, the colour of the sky above Gerudo desert when the sun is only half-up towards the end of a winter afternoon and the moon begins to make a watery appearance.

The girl coughs quietly behind him, and he curses inwardly. _Shit._ Why does he have to think about this _now?_

“You okay?” He says, turning around to look at her, his voice sounding slightly foreign to him as it breaks the silence.

“Of course,” comes her reply, a small smile on her lips (she has such _beautiful_ — he needs to stop), “I apologise if I worried you. Truthfully, I was enjoying the quiet.”

“If you’re sure. We should get going again, now, anyway.”

“Whenever Epona’s ready. Let her take her time.”

He blinks slowly at her reply, an involuntary smile coming to his face - he must look so stupid, he thinks - but it really does make his heart warmer when she’s so kind to his horse. He knows it might sound silly to anyone else, but Epona is like family to him - he understands her more than he understands most people. And, for one, he knows Epona has an incredible trust in Zelda - even from the first time they met, which was under circumstances any other horse would have bolted, the horse showed no apprehension towards the Princess. And since, the two got on so well he was almost a little jealous sometimes.

“Thank you,” he stammers out slightly, “for, uh, being… nice. To Epona. Well, I mean, in general, but specifically-“

“Peace, Link,” she laughs quietly, raising a hand, “you’re very welcome. Though there is no need for thanks - Epona is worthy of the respect.”

“Thank you all the same.” He shrugs.

“Well, then you’re welcome.” She repeats, leaning over his shoulder to give the horse’s mane an affectionate ruffle, “and you’re very welcome too, Epona!”

She’s so close to him it takes all his willpower to ignore how it feels.

“Come on, girl.” He mutters quietly to Epona, who raises her head in response and turns back onto the path.

It is, he thinks, probably some kind of blasphemy to feel like this. Seriously. Not that he was one for cliches, but she’s a Princess and he is…. well, he is just a ranch hand. Fundamentally. A ranch hand with some experience of adventure and some kind of mark on the back of his hand, but nonetheless, he was born and bred a farmer.

So he really shouldn’t be thinking like this. He knows the logical thing to do is take a long, long break from seeing her and try to sort how he feels out, but the thought of that makes him feel physically sick - so he shoves the thought aside and pretends it isn’t an option. Besides, he is sure that would upset her as well, the only thought more unbearable than his own sorrow.

He’s about to go off on a tangent of options when she interrupts his thoughts.

“Did you come here often, before?”

He pauses slightly before replying. “Before what?”

She’s quiet a moment behind him, eventually finding it within herself to answer - slightly unhelpfully - “everything, I suppose.”

He knows what she means, of course, but it’s strange to think about all the same. Besides, she’s not usually one to bring up the past.

“Not really,” Link sighs, reaching up to brush a strand of hair out of his eyes, “I had never left the woods before coming to meet you. Not properly, anyway.”

“Properly?” She prompts.

“Well. As a kid-” He laughs slightly, a mix of embarrassment and nostalgia lacing his thoughts, “when Ilia and I were young, we used to think the small patch of forest was Hyrule field. So I thought I had seen the big, wide world all by the age of eight. Of course, I hadn’t. But I guess… now I have.”

He’s not sure why that notion fills him with a slight feeling of sadness.

“Well, perhaps you have. But how wonderful that there are so many ways to experience the same mundane places, don’t you think?” The Princess muses, “why, I shall see the very town I grew up in from a completely different perspective today. The world is larger than you might think, often right in front of you.”

Zelda has a habit of coming out with profound statements in the middle of casual conversation, something he guesses is a side effect of being blessed with the wisdom of a Goddess. Still, he thinks it over. She’s right, of course, but he’s never really thought about it.

Seeing familiar things from different perspectives… he supposes that’s what his relationship with her is like. He sees her when she’s speaking in her rich, regal tones to lords - he sees her when she’s horseback on the finest white horse in the kingdom, and also when she’s laughing upon Epona. But, whether her hair is tied in ribbons and her shoulders covered in gold-plated armour, or whether her hair is loose in the wind and her fair skin free of the heavy makeup she wears at the palace, she is always the same to him.

And yet, still, every day, he finds something new about her that makes his heart light up - every day, the same strands of hair he has been seeing for so long hold the same beauty - every second of every minute he looks at her, her eyes hold the same kindness and warmth they always have.

He supposes then, that he will never really tire of her, even if he tries. So perhaps there is no point of attempting to rid himself of the thoughts, even if he is sure he will be hurt in the end.

...Maybe.

But he manages to brush them away for now.

The rest of the journey passes by peacefully, the sun half disappearing behind a thin, hazy layer of clouds and the breeze of the fields providing a light but welcome relief from the heat of the summer months - yet, despite the safety and comfort of a kingdom saved, he finds himself constantly on edge, hand ready to fire a weapon he does not have on him. The hero is used to feeling like this, but it’s _tiring_ \- he knows, logically, she is safe, but his instinct and experiences tell him otherwise - and despite the fact he knows very well she can hold her own, she is so precious, so, _so precious_ and fragile to him.

As expected, though, they arrive safely outside the city walls, Epona gently slowing to a stop.

He ruffles his horse’s mane as he hops down from her, offering a hand to Zelda - slightly embarrassed at the state of his hand in her perfectly manicured elegant ones, but she doesn’t seem to mind.

Since getting closer to Zelda, Epona has a safe space in the castle stables, but he cannot put her there today, lest he bring attention to themselves. So, it’s with a slight sick feeling he leaves her outside the bridge, as he always would before - half of him expects to hear that all-too familiar giggle from his shadow. But he is used to these random pangs of loss, so doesn’t think too much of it as he gives his horse one last glance before turning back to the Princess.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“Of course I’m okay!” She replies, clapping her hands together, “oh, please do be quick, Link. I can hardly wait, as childish as it seems.”

He barely makes an effort to hide the sheer amount of warmth and affection he feels at that moment, his eyes melting as a smile crosses his face.

“Well, after you, Princess.”

“Actually-” She begins, gaze flickering to the floor as her face reddens ever so slightly, “I was hoping we might walk… together?”

He’s a little confused as to why she might be embarrassed by this notion - they walk together side by side all the time in Ordon, so it’s not like it’s anything out of the ordinary. Perhaps it’s because they are back in Castle Town? Still-

He feels her hand slip into his, and suddenly he understands what she means.

_Well._

“I’d just feel safer this way,” Comes her voice, although he barely hears her over the sound of his own goddess-damned _heart._

“Of course,” He coughs, not meeting her eyes for a second, “I don’t mind, but-”

“But?”

He shakes his head. “Never mind, Zeldie. Shall we go?”

“Please!”

He flicks her a smile, letting go of her hand momentarily to raise his hood over his head. They had come to the conclusion he was far more recognisable than Zelda by the people of castle town, but it was so busy there he had doubted anybody would stop and look at him if his face was covered enough.

The girl next to him hardly bothers to hide her excitement as she all but pulls him along, the flat soles of the boots she had borrowed from Ordon making a light _tap-tap-tap_ on the wooden drawbridge as she half-runs towards the gate. A few strands fall loose from the ponytail at the back of her head in the wind, although she hardly even notices as they near the marketplace.

It’s been a while since the hero had been to town; still, the shouts of vendors, the colours of the fruits and flowers and the bustle of the place are all too familiar - if slightly irritating, at this point - to him. But he pushes his feelings aside for her and she skips ahead, fingers intertwined with his as she takes in her surroundings.

Her ears perk up as they near a flower stall - one Link isn’t particularly fond of due to the slightly annoying nature of the stall-owner, but he’s not exactly about to ruin her fun because of personal qualms. He hangs back slightly as her eyes run over the roses, the lilies, the hyacinths - the familiar loud voice of the vendor attempting to sell over-priced flowers to all the girls ( _lovely ladies,_ as he puts) in the vicinity. He lets his thoughts trail slightly as he watches her, the genuine smile on her face so innocent and pure he finds a welcome peace in it. Honestly, attempting to push through the market was usually a stressful inconvenience in his day, but she really was right - seeing something from a different perspective offered a very welcome change.

“Nothing catch your eye?” He questions, as she steps away from the supplies.

“Sixty rupees for a dozen!” She exclaims, the genuine outrage in her voice slightly amusing to him, “I shan’t pay a scammer so much!”

He laughs gently at her, squeezing her hand, “the sooner you learn everyone here is a scammer, the better.”

She rolls her eyes slightly, “I really do not know what I expected. Still, it is so lovely to look around.”

It’s like that for a while - despite the laughable prices of a main city, she finds the notion charming enough, stopping by each individual stall and finding herself equally as delighted.

A certain small stand selling handmade jewellery does catch Link’s eye, though - one he had always brushed over before, it being out-of-the-way and irrelevant to him, but he wonders for a moment if Zelda would appreciate something. Although it seems a little silly to buy royalty a woven necklace from a market stall, perhaps she would like a little souvenir. Besides, he could easily slip away right now, as she let go of him in her excitement.

A quick glance back to make sure she’s okay (and she most assuredly is, looking as excited over apples as a child would look over cakes), and he allows himself a moment away from her to look.

Running the stall is a small, wrinkled old lady - rings adorning her fingers, earrings glittering all the way up her pointed ears, a rich purple cloak wrapped around her as she sits weaving behind her stand.

The people of castle town are more interested in their daily food shop, it seems, so he is alone in his browsing.

A certain necklace catches his eye - the chain is a simple, woven one, but the pendant has a blue jewel encrusted in the middle of a silver, intricately-crafted triforce. He holds it in his hand a moment to take a closer look.

The croaky tones of the old woman’s voice barely reach him as she leans over from her chair - “A necklace fit for a princess, no, young man?”

He coughs slightly awkwardly, taken aback by the woman’s statement, although he supposes it’s a coincidence. “Er- how much for this one, ma’am?”

“For you? Fifty rupees.” She smiles at him, heavily painted eyelids blinking slowly.

“I’ll give you sixty,” He offers, placing three red jewels in the palm of her hand, “that’s very generous of you.”

She grins knowingly at him, tapping the side of her nose. “Hero’s discount.”

He cringes inwardly slightly - perhaps it wasn’t a coincidence, then - sighing quietly, “Thank you.”

The jeweller merely laughs as he slips back through the gaps back to the main street, where he immediately catches up with Zelda, the sweet tones of her voice unmistakable as she turns away from a bakery to face him.

Still, he’s a little wary about being recognised, despite his heavy cloak, so he shoves the necklace into his inside pocket as he offers his hand back to the Princess, “maybe we should go somewhere else in town,” He suggests.

She agrees in a heartbeat, having nearly exhausted all the market has to offer.

The sun begins to set in the distance, hardly noticeable as they find themselves down the quieter streets of the town for the afternoon, the shouts and laughs of the marketplace dying out behind them as he shows her the houses, the tents, the cats on the street, and she meets each thing with so much happiness and excitement it's as though she's seeing the world for the first time - which, he supposes, she is, in a way.

But the yellow-hue of the early evening hours finds its way into the streets eventually, and, despite the silence between them, he knows she feels it too.

“Perhaps... we should get you home instead,” He offers gently, his thumb absent-mindedly tracing patterns on her hand, blue eyes meeting hers.

“Perhaps so,” She returns quietly, the light illuminating her skin in a way he is far too familiar with.

The glimmer in her eyes from not thirty minutes before has all but vanished, and the solemn, sad expression he had first grown to associate her with vaguely paints her features. He reaches out for a moment to brush a few loose strands of hair behind her ear for her, his hand lingering slightly in the light of the setting sun, cupping her face gently- she is so, _so_ beautiful.

In moments like this, he doesn’t care whether he ‘should’ be shoving these thoughts aside or not - and though he can feel his heart beat in his chest so hard it hurts, and though they are standing on the cobblestone streets of the town he associates with so much sorrow - in this moment, he realises why she is so different from Ilia.

He’s scared to admit it - he’s always been scared to admit it - terrified, horrified, even. The word causes a lump to form in his throat, his mind screams at him that this is wrong, but he can’t deny it forever, he knows that.

She blinks up at him, a slight red hue to her cheeks and ears - and he thinks about her laugh, her smile, the way she claps her hands together when she’s excited, how her eyes light up at the simplest little things, her kindness to Epona, her willingness to wake at six a.m. to say goodbye to those he considered family, the way she views the world with such wonder after all she has been through - her eyes, her lips, her teeth, her nose, just _her_ \- 

And he knows, without a doubt, he could never love anybody else like this.

His thumb brushes lightly over her cheek, the warmth of her skin underneath him, and, as she reaches up to hold his hand in hers, he truly feels like he might faint.

“Link,” She whispers softly, “are you okay?”

Is he okay? He has no idea. But, for once, he doesn't care. 

Pulling her closer, he wraps his arms around _his Zelda_ , no response able to reach his lips as all he can think of is I _love_ you.

_I love you, I love you, my Zelda._

She pulls back after a minute or so, pressing a single red chrysanthemum into his hand. “I hope you like it,” She says quietly, eyes not meeting his, “I know I said I wouldn’t buy anything, but… It’s for you. To say thank you. Please keep it as long as it stays in bloom.”

He laughs softly, although his heart melts at the notion, “I got something for you, as well.”

Although he feels slightly embarrassed now, he hands her the small, delicate necklace, “I know you have far more valuable, but…”

“Nothing could be more valuable than something from you,” She cuts him off, “but it’s beautiful, anyway. Thank you.”

The melancholy of the twilight fades, the soft lighting of the evening reflecting in her eyes, the silver of the necklace in her hands glinting slightly in the light of the yellow sky, and, as she reaches up to press the lightest kiss to his cheek, he finds no discomfort in the word love, for that is what he feels for her.

And, perhaps, he thinks, it isn’t so wrong,

After all.

_-fin.-_

**Author's Note:**

> Sry for only posting once a year love u guys lmao  
> Tryyying to get back into the swing of things before I finally start my multi-chapter fic with these two!
> 
> PS. Look up the meaning of Red Chrysanthemums xx


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